BECK, Lewis Caleb (1798-1853). An American physician, chemist, and mineralogist, born in Schenectady, N. Y. He graduated at Union College, was professor of chemistry in Rutgers College, and later in Albany Medical College. He was the author of a number of books and papers on botany and chemistry; also of an elaborate report on the mineralogy of New York, based upon his researches as mineralogist of the New York Geological Survey of 1835-41, which was published as one of the volumes of the NaturalHistory of the State of New York (1842).